This blog contains posts by the Microsoft Dynamics AX Support Teams Worldwide

Fixed Dimension Support in AX2012

AX 2012 has provided a new dimension framework that includesa shared chart of accounts and system-backed financial dimensions. The conceptcommonly known as ‘Fixed dimensions’ available in releases prior to AX 2012 is supporteddifferently in the new framework.

1. If your scenario is to fix a dimension value to“Blank” for a specific account prior to AX 2012, the new account structurefunctionality will provide this support. Account structures are used todetermine the valid combinations of main account and financial dimension valuesthat should be posted to a general ledger account. You can create multipleaccount structures that can be used by a chart of accounts. For example, youmay have 2 different account structures such as this:

This setup will ensure that CostCenter is not available when recording entries against any of the main accountsthat are defined in the range for the Balance Sheet account structure.

2. If your scenario is to fix a dimension value toa specified value for a specific account prior to AX 2012, you can set up themain account as an allocation account and define the allocation termsdestination to be to the specific dimension value. When recording an entryagainst this account, the posting to general ledger will include this dimensionvalue.

For example, I want a specific cash account to always be posted with Department “001” but the offsetting profit andloss account may be posting to other department values. By selecting the mainaccount (General ledger > Setup > Chart of accounts > Chart ofaccounts), and then selecting to view the main account for a specific company,select the “Allocation” checkbox in the general tab. The Allocation termsbutton will be enabled and you can select to define the allocation terms.

Assuming my cash account number is 110020, and my account structure for this account is Main Account + Department,my allocation term would look like this:

Percent allocation: 100.00

Source financial dimension criteria:

Department: Unspecific (this meansthat this rule is in play no matter what department value is entered on thedocument)

Destination ledger account:

To account: leave this blank

To financial dimensions:

Department: 001

This setup would then always post to department 001 when posting to main account 110020 for the specifiedcompany.

3. If your scenario is to fix a dimension value to a specified value for a specific account prior to AX 2012 because the dimensionvalue is representing a sub account, you have another option. You can set upthe main account number to include the dimension value instead of using adimension. For example, using the cash account above, the main account numbercould be 110020001.